Syracuse All-Access: Orange Nation descends on Atlanta (links)

Syracuse huddles before the first half of the East Regional final in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013 in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Tenally)

With the days ticking down before the 2013 Final Four gets underway in Atlanta, here's a roundup of content from Syracuse.com as it ramps up for the Orange's matchup against Michigan on Saturday:

» Here's a collection of links, tweets and other interesting tidbits pertaining to Syracuse basketball, including a quick video of Orange senior forward James Southerland planting a kiss on Jim Boeheim's head on national television.

Syracuse University has more than 3,200 alumni in Georgia, most of whom live in the metro Atlanta area, according to school spokesman Kevin Quinn. That group meets — and celebrates — regularly to cheer on the Orange basketball team.

"We're going to try and paint this town orange," said Ian Thompson, president of the SU Alumni Club of Atlanta and a 2001 graduate. "I have not gotten any work done the past couple of days. The excitement, I'm like so pumped right now that everyone is coming down. We're going to bring back the trophy to Central New York. I'm just here day-dreaming."

Wait, just one gosh darn minute. "Soon?" Everyone panic. Right?: Wrong, Boeheim said, for about the hundredth time. He doesn't intend to retire .... yet. Boeheim: "Every time I say that someone goes on. Don't read anything into that. Soon could be anything. Soon. It's not like tomorrow. It's not Tuesday, that's not happening. I'm not going to come out Tuesday. No. Wednesday, ehhhhhh? You guys are so fun. No. No announcements."

» Much has been said about Syracuse and Michigan's Final Four matchup on Saturday, but how do they compare off the court? Chris Baker of Syracuse.com breaks down a variety of topics that may or may not have an effect on who will be cutting down the nets on Monday night.

"The first time he texted me he was like, 'Sweet 16,' " Christmas said. "Then he said something like dunking on people, and I was like I try to stop doing that as much and then we started laughing. Then 'Final Four.' We've just been joking around."